Ziyarats in Bashkortostan as spaces of overlapping semiotic ideologies

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the study of ziyarat practices in Bashkortostan as spaces where semiotic ideologies overlap, prescribing to believers which symbols and practices are necessary to establish a connection with the sacred. Unlike the normative pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the practice of visiting the graves of awliya (ziyarat) is often regarded as a contested practice among Muslims. There is no consensus on which religious practices should be performed during ziyarat, and which, on the contrary, are prohibited. The aim of the research is to identify the perceptions of “correct” semiotic ideologies of interaction with the sacred at ziyarat among Muslims of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Nineteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with Muslims from rural areas in the southern regions of Bashkortostan. The study revealed a variety of ways in which Muslims interact with the sacred during ziyarat: circumambulating the grave, tying ribbons, offering prayers, communicating with ancestors, performing namaz, and other. The graves of the awliya may be distinguished by certain symbols not only by Muslims but also by adherents of other religions or new religious movements (New Age). The key feature of modern ziyarat practices is their syncretic nature, where various religious and magical elements intermingle within the discourse of reviving “traditional” Islamic practice, constructing boundaries between “correct” and “incorrect” rituals at ziyarat. This study emphasizes the need for further exploration of ziyarat as a significant part of the religious life of contemporary Muslims, contrasting with other scholarly works that claim a decline in the importance of ziyarat, perceiving them as “pre-Islamic remnants”.